Welcome to the third episode of IN CONVERSATION. Today we speak to one of the most passionate coaches in Mumbai’s Football Fraternity. He began his journey in Football way back in June 2013 by coaching kids of the Soccer Schools of Excellence. He built up by coaching senior teams in the MDFA such as Oscar Foundation in Division 2 & Union Bank of India in the Elite Division. In June 2017, he began his stint as Head Coach for Mumbai Strikers SC. His contribution to MS’s gradual progress in the Elite Division was vital and his energetic personality has enthralled the management and players alike. Since October 2019, he is the Head Coach of the Maharashtra State Police Football Team in the Elite Division. Let us speak to Former Head Coach of MS Senior Men’s Football team, Mr.Sandeep Singh.
Sandeep, what was your reaction on being offered the position of Head Coach at MS?
I always wanted to coach an Elite division Club, but to get an opportunity at MS made it even sweeter as MS is not your “Run of the Mill” Club. Unlike any other club in Mumbai, this is a Player’s club. The entire institution is run by players. They work with an amateurish passion due to their immense love for the game. As a coach I was really looking forward to working with them.
What objectives were set for the first season and how instrumental were the players and management to help you achieve them?
The club’s long-term objective has always been to make their presence known at the national stage using only local players. Keeping in line with our vision, it was important that we create a strong foothold in the Elite division, which can be used as a spring board to bounce up the ladder. The objective of our first season was to make sure that we do not get relegated.
A coach is just a cog in a wheel and can only perform and show desired results if all the more important parts of the wheel are of good quality. So was the case at MS as well, the quality of players and more importantly their attitude towards the club and hunger to grow was exemplary.
Also, here I would like to mention that in Rohit D’Souza, they have a leader who is obsessed with sports and possess great clarity and determination. The entire management gave me immense support. Working in such an environment with such diligent individuals made my job a lot easier.
How different is MS compared to the other clubs you have trained in your coaching career? How has the tenure in MS helped you as a coach?
MS club works like a start-up. In my opinion they are the one true success story of Mumbai Football, for a club with no Financial/Political/Federation/Govt. support to come up through the ladders of Mumbai Football with largely the same core group of players is phenomenal. They don’t pay their players unlike all the other clubs, which puts them in a very disadvantageous position. But the upside is that they only get players who play for the love of the game and are really ready to grind it out.
MS has never asked a player to leave the club. Obviously if a good opportunity for a player comes up to grow then they are always supported, but otherwise all the new recruitments are made keeping in mind the players that are already on the roster. The management cares for every individual like family. Also, while recruitment no matter how good a player is, they won’t be taken in if they don’t show us that they have a viable alternative plan to make a good living.
The management make sure that all players balance football with their studies, and stay focused on genuine vocations. How many other clubs are willing to sacrifice glory for the betterment of their players? In hindsight if I look at it, MS gave me lot more than what I could return or will ever be able to give back. They helped me change my entire outlook towards not just football but also about things that truly matter in life. The importance of the strength of human spirit to overcome indomitable odds is something that has been ingrained in me by the club.
While in MS, what were the challenges you faced on and off the field? How did you overcome them?
Most of the on-field issues are easy to handle and solve. It is generally, the off-field issues that create big problems and can lead to the detriment of on-field performance.
We faced such a problem in our second season of the Elite division, when we tried to bring in players based only on playing quality and ignored other soft skills like attitude, discipline and teamwork. It affected our performance in the latter half of the season. It was a big lesson learnt, and the following season we made sure to recruit players with priority to our team-philosophy and spirit.
What are your thoughts on Coach Education and how important is it for aspiring coaches of our nation?
John Archibald Wheeler had once said “We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance”. There is no better way to sum up my thoughts on Coach Education.
Football is an ever-growing sport; it is becoming faster & tougher every day. What is in vogue today will be out dated tomorrow. It is important for us coaches to not only stay on top of the latest innovation in sports but also philosophise about the game to develop some independent thinking. Reflection & Constant evolution is the only way for us to stay competitive.
A question that is asked to all, who is your favourite coach and why do you look up to him or her?
It is a tough question to answer as there are too many good coaches who I look up to, and am trying to learn from. The likes of John Wooden, Marcelo Bielsa, Rinus Michel, Phil Jackson, Alex Ferguson, Bill Belichik have achieved so much and there is so much one can learn from each one of them.
But, the reason why I fell in love with the game was because of “Arsene Wenger”. I clearly remember my first encounter with him, I was mesmerised by the quick one touch attacking play of his teams. None of the other teams in any of the top leagues were playing that kind of football at the time. I would watch his interviews again and again.
He was a revolutionary and a visionary, who changed the entire landscape of English football. I find him inspirational for his idealism and his willingness to face criticism and still stay true to his principles.